Newcastle United defender DeAndre Yedlin has heaped heavy praise on fellow teammate Vurnon Anita for taking his career to a new level.
Following a season long loan at bitter rivals Sunderland, the Magpies signed the 23-year-old on a permanent deal at the start of the 2016-17 campaign.
The America international has been deployed as a right-back and a midfielder throughout this season and he has played a key role in helping Newcastle achieve automatic promotion to the Premier League next season.
Yedlin made a total of 32 appearances in all competitions for the club this season and he scored his only goal in just his second appearance in the 2-0 victory away at Derby County in September.
Speaking in an interview with the Guardian, Yedlin claimed he owes a lot of his development as a player this season to teammate Anita for his fantastic professionalism.
“Playing regularly always improves your game, but so does being in competition with a guy like Vurnon [Anita],” he stated.
“You can learn from him every day. He’s a very professional guy both on and off the field, so I’ve tried to absorb as much as I can from his game.
“Little things, just like the way he moves, the way his character is, because I think he’s a top professional.”
Since joining Newcastle from Eredivisie giants Ajax in 2012, Anita has been a fixture in the first team, making over 100 appearances for the club.
The Dutch midfielder’s future at the club remains unclear as Newcastle are still yet to offer him a new contract.
Anita would be a great asset for Newcastle in their first year back in the Premier League as he’s made 106 Premier League appearances and scored two goals from midfield.